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Observations & Insights

It's Always Time for Change

Nothing seems to make people more uncomfortable than change, especially in a professional environment. Management teams, tenured employees, even junior staff members all seem to be resistant to things changing around them. It is really human nature; as familiarity breeds comfort, comfort breeds confidence, and theoretically... confidence should lead to optimal performance.

4 Steps to Getting the Most out of Networking

No one would argue against the benefits of networking, however how best to benefit from it is always not so clear cut. There is plenty of networking advice for various opinions on tips, so much so people even disagree with each other. Some of the specifics depend on the type of industry you work in and the types of company culture you are in, but there are still some overlying rules. Below, I have addressed the four basic steps for any networking event, regardless of the type of company you work, the industry you or in, or the type of event you are attending.

Interviewing the Interviewer

Guess what? Oh, you heard? Yeah, that’s right... everyone seems to be hiring. All this hiring is good for everybody, but it’s especially good for the person that is well prepared. Nobody is better prepared for an interview than someone who is bringing a few questions of their own.

Traditionally, interviews have tended to be one-sided... but they don’t have to be. In fact, many hiring managers &amp; interviewers PREFER when there’s more interactivity once the Q & A portion of the interview is reached. It’s important not to give the impression that you are not very interested in the role, or that you are only concerned about the compensation.

What Is Your Intrinsic Motivator?

Candidates become motivated to take a new step in their career because of either intrinsic or extrinsic motivators. Extrinsic motivators are rather straightforward: a position was eliminated within a company, it would be necessary to move to a different city to retain their position, the company has gone under, or any number of outside influences. Understanding intrinsic motivators requires a much more nuanced evaluation of a candidate and their progress within their career. Intrinsic motivators compel a candidate to make a change proactively, for a number of reasons we will elaborate on later. Because of the shift towards self-managed careers where employees are seen as stewards of their career rather than as strictly assets within a company, intrinsic motivators have become the prime motivating force behind job/company changes.

6 Work Resolutions for the New Year

1. Embrace Social Media

Social media is here to stay. You should integrate Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. into your life as soon as possible. Don’t worry about being an expert, just make sure you understand the technology and are able to use it. Many professionals network with and stay updated on their industry through Social Media, don’t get left out!

Want Career Management Advice? Figure Out What You Want.

“What do you want?” a simple question answered far too often with responses like, “I want a job where: I can grow, the company is stable, the money is better or a place where the boss is nicer, etc” or worse is answered by, “I don’t know, that’s why I am here.” Sadly, most of the responses I hear don’t really answer my question.

This simple question is generally the first one that I ask almost every candidate that I interview, from C-level to entry level. From my perspective, their answer is the ultimate measure of how dedicated someone is to changing jobs and how smart they are about being in control of their professional destiny. What I have learned is that the great candidates know and have thought through what they want, and meeting with me is very much a part of their plan. I measure that response very carefully because it helps me to determine who is worth spending time with and who will stand out to my clients.